A sweet is defined as having a taste of sugar or honey. It is not bitter or sour, but is pleasingly fragrant and agreeable. It is strange that while the taste never lingers too long, the memory of that taste can stay with you for life, particularly if it was one of the favourite sweets of your childhood. The sweet shops of yesteryear had a special smell, an aroma of temptation which you got as you went through the door. Even to look in the shop window was to make an imaginative journey of the various tastes that were on display. Our photograph today, which was taken about 40 years ago by Marja Van Kampen, will tick memory boxes for many people. The mouthwatering display was in Miko Cunningham’s shop window in Upper Abbeygate Street.

Take the fuss out of jam-making with this simple recipe that can be made using a variety of apples. Siúcra’s Light Golden Brown Sugar gives the jam a buttery caramel flavour while the warm and citrusy aroma of cardamom goes very well with the apples. By using Siúcra’s Sure Set Jam Sugar you won’t have to spend all afternoon in the kitchen as the jam sets in minutes.

The Oesophageal Cancer Fund (OCF) needs your help this February! With not long to go until the 12th annual Lollipop Day, the OCF is calling for more volunteers throughout Westmeath on Friday February 22 and Saturday February 23 to help raise vital funds for oesophageal cancer.

The Oesophageal Cancer Fund (OCF) needs your help this March! With just one month to go until the 10th annual Lollipop Day, the OCF is calling for more volunteers in Westmeath to help raise vital funds for its services on Friday March 4 and Saturday March 5.